The picturesque 18-hole Jammu Tawi Golf Course is set to welcome 126 golfers from all over the country and abroad for a five-day Professional Golf Tournament in India (PGTI) starting from September 7.
Galaxy of top Indian professionals participating in the tournament like Olympian Udayan Mane, Rashid Khan, Khalin Joshi, Yuvraj Singh Sandhu, defending champion Honey Baisoya, Manu Gandas, Karandeep Kochhar, and Arjun Sharma. The foreign challenge will be led by Sri Lankans Mithun Perera and N Thangaraja besides Bangladesh's Jamal Hossain.
The local challenge will be led by J&K-based players including professionals Pawan Parihar, Fayaz Ahmed Langoo, Raghav Wahi, Mohammad Din Pode as well as amateurs Prabhnoor Singh, Vedant Handa, and Zubair Hasan Zargar. Starting on September 7, the tournament will conclude on September 11 with a Pro-Am event.
"This will be the first time that professional golfers will come to the city of Jammu and I am confident that the professionals will relish the experience of playing at the magnificent Jammu Tawi Golf Course. The tournament will also go a long way in inspiring many youngsters from the region to follow and take up the sport of golf", advisor to Lieutenant Governor, Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar said.
Event will bring Jammu golf course on international golfing map
Secretary, Tourism and Youth Services and Sports, Sarmad Hafeez, said, "We are proud to support the J&K Open 2022, as Golf Tourism is an integral part of our larger objective to promote tourism in J&K. This maiden professional tournament at Jammu will bring Jammu Tawi Golf Course (JTGC), a picturesque 18-hole golf course on the banks of the river Tawi, on the international golfing map with an opportunity for local talent to showcase their skills".
"Besides, this mega event is an opportunity to project J&K as a major hub for Golf Tourism in the country. We look forward to such mutually beneficial partnerships to harness the Tourism potential of UT of Jammu and Kashmir", he said.
Secretary, Jammu Tawi Golf Course, Manav Gupta, said, "With J&K Open 2022, it is nothing less than something historic being done at Jammu Tawi Golf Course. Tourism and Golf has a long walk to do after this."
"The tournament will not only exploit the potential of local and budding golfers but will also provide an opportunity to them in learning the skills vis-a-vis bringing a boom in the tourism sector," said Gupta.
Notably, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha, who is also the Chairperson of Jammu Tawi Golf course, recently at the inauguration of Jammu Tawi Golf Academy, announced the hosting of the PGTI Level tournament in Jammu.
International standard golf course developed in Jammu
Jammu Tawi Golf Course is the 18-hole course of the international standard spread in 1400 kanals and the PGTI ( the controlling body for professional golf in India) team after inspection, declared the venue fit and signalled green for the event.
The Secretary said, "it is not less than a privilege for JTGC to host this tournament of international standard."
"Starting on September 7, the tournament will conclude on September 11 with a Pro-Am event," said Gupta adding that 126 golfers of national and international repute from all over the country will participate.
"The tournament will not only exploit the potential of local and budding golfers but will also provide an opportunity to them in learning the skills vis-a-vis bringing a boom in the tourism sector," said Gupta.
This event will help Jammu scale new heights in terms of a golfing destination for national and international players.
Surrounded by heritage structures like Amar Mahal, Mubarak Mandi, and Bahu Fort, the rich flora of the JTGC which is a result of continuous plantation every year has created an ecological niche, to say the least.
